Tag Archives: Ireland

5) Guinness beer…tastes even better on chilly, overcast Irish days, of which there are many; 4) Exceedingly friendly locals, the stories they tell and their charming although at times incomprehensible accents; 3) Full Irish breakfasts; 2) Meat pies; and 1) Live traditional Irish music…makes me wish I had stuck with the violin back in 6th grade.

I would never want to live in medieval Europe. No indoor plumbing and no central heating made for a dirty, smelly, drafty and infested existence. However, medieval castles are pretty darn cool. Visited Trim Castle in Ireland, the site where Braveheart was filmed. Got my fill of arrow slits and murder holes and learned random facts like most tower staircases run clockwise (to give the advantage to right-handed defenders) and that the worst job in history is the gongfarmer.

I love meat pies. Few things make me happier than biting into the soft, gooey inside crust of a pie soaked in braised meat juices. Recently in Ireland, I ate chicken and mushroom pies, steak and Guinness pies and daily full Irish breakfasts with immaculate egg, fried tomato, potatoes, mushrooms, bacon, sausage, black & white pudding and brown bread. If I lived there permanently, I’d be very fat…but very happy.